Water-tube boiler.



'PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. R. GUMMINS.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9v 1902- N0 MODEL.

THE mums PETERS co. PHDTCLLIYHOY, WASHINGTON, o. c.

No. 735.067. 7 PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

W. R. GUMMINS.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented August 4, i663.

PATENT OFFICE".

WATER-TUBE BOILER.

'sPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,067, dated August 4, 1903.

Application filed June 9, 1902. Serial No. 110,804. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown thatI, WILLIAM RUSSELL CUM- MINS, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland,residing at Reading,in the county of Berks, England, have invented Improvements in 'Water-Tube Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in water-tube boilers of the kind wherein upper and lower drums are connected together by vertical water-tubes and a furnace or fire-box is arranged below the lower drum and is provided with a central line that extends through the latter drum and through which the gases from the furnace or fire-box pass to a combustiomchamber situated between the upper and lower drums and surrounded by the vertical water-tubes, the gases after leaving the combustion-chamber being compelled by suitable bafileplates to follow a lengthy and tortuous course among the water-tubes before escaping to the uptake.

Now the present invention has for its object an arrangement or disposition of the vertical water-tubes such that while the gases shall be obliged to follow a lengthy and tortuous course among them, so as to part with much of their heat, it shall still be possible to sweep or cleanse the whole or a very considerable part of the external surface of all or most of the tubes without requiring a large clearance space around the boiler in which to use or maneuver the brush or cleansing appliance.

To this end the tubes are arranged in concentric circles, the common center of the circles being the axial line of the drums. The tubes are so set or disposed in the circles that right-handed and left-handed curved avenues or sweeping-channels are formed between the tubes from or near the inner circle to the outer circle, these avenues cutting the outer circle at a fairly acute angle, so that a sweeping-brush bent to their curvature may be passed into them without its handle projecting far beyond the boiler-casing in a radial direction.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section on the line A A of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line B B of Fig. 1, showing a water-tube boiler of the kind hereinbefore re h, containing their centers.

ferred to having vertical water-tubes disposed or arranged according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a modified arrangement. Fig. 4 shows in plan a sweepingbrush of curved shape suitable for cleaning the external surface of the water-tubes shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

a and b are the upper and lower drums, c the vertical water-tubes connecting the said drums. and (Z the furnace arranged below the drum b and provided with a central flue e, that extends through the said drum 1) and through which the furnace-gases pass to a combustion-chamberf, situated between the two drums and surrounded by the water tubes 0.

The tubes 0 are disposed, as hereinabove set forth, so that right-handed and left-handed curved avenues or sweeping-channels g, such as hereinbefore described, are formed between them. One method of setting out the holes in the tube-plates for the said tubes 0 is as follows: The innermost concentric row is first set out, the holes being pitched equidistant around the circumference of the circle Arcs 'L' of circles are then drawn outward through the centers of the holes of the said innermost row, the centers of all these arcs being on the innermost concentric circle, or they may lie on the second concentric circlej or, as shown, on a circle j between or near to these latter. The radius of the arcsql is conveniently chosen equal to or approximately equal to the radius of the said innermost concentric circle h; but it can be varied. These arcs 1 are drawn through the centers of the innermost row of tube-holes, both right and left handed, and the intersection of these arcs determines the positions of the holes for the tubes in the other concentric rows. It follows from this construction that there will be an equal number of tubes 0 in each concentric circle and that there will be clear passages or avenues g of curved form leading from the outside row of tubes 0 into the combustion-chamber The tube-brush is, Fig. 4, is made of the same curvature or approximately the same curvature as the arcs ofcircle i, on which the tubes 0 lie. Consequently when in use it project-s very little in a direction radial to the center of the boiler, thus reducing the clearance required around the boiler for cleaning purposes to a minimum. As the brush it can be used in either a right-handed manner or a left-handed manner, it follows that each tube can be brushed on four sides.

A bafiier-plate m is preferably arranged between the first and second concentric rows of tubes. It is arranged in narrow sections to facilitate handling and is continuous except for an opening 01, arranged diametrically opposite to the uptake 0, so that the hot gases on leaving the com bustion-chamberf will be divided into two main streams which reunite at the uptake.

By the above-mentioned arrangement of tubes and baflies the two main streams of hot gases are split up into a number of smaller streams, which are continually being divided and reunited during their passage among the water-tubes. If desired, the avenues or passages g may form curves of other shape than the arc of a circle, or the curve may be made up of two or more arcs of circles, as shown in Fig. 3. The boiler-casing p'is provided with movable portions 1), by opening which access can be readily gained to the avenues or passages g for the insertion therein of acurved brush, such as 75.

Vhat I claim is 1. In a water-tube boiler, upper and lower drums, and water tubes connecting said drums, said water-tubes being arranged with their axes in intersecting circular arcs around a central space and so that outwardly-extending curved avenues or sweeping-channels are formed by and between them, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

'2. In a water-tube boiler, upper and lower drums, and water tubes connecting said drums, said water-tubes being arranged in concentric circles and with their axes in intersecting circular arcs around a central combustion-space and so that outwardly-extending curved avenues or sweeping-channels are formed by and between them, from or near the inner circle to the outer circle, substantially as described.

3. In a water-tube boiler, upper and lower drums, and water tubes connecting said drums, said water-tubes being arranged in concentric circles and with their axes in right and left handed intersecting circular arcs around a central combustion-space and so that right and left handed outwardly-extending curved avenues or sweeping-channels are formed by and between them from or near the inner circle to the outer circle, substantially as described.

4. In a water-tube boiler, upper and lower drums, water-tubes connecting said drums, and a furnace arranged below and communieating with a central combustion-chamber formed by and between said tubes, said tubes being arranged in concentric rows with their axes in right and left handed intersecting circular arcs, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

5. A water-tube boiler comprising upper and lower drums, an annular group of vertical water-tubes connecting said drums, said tubes being arranged in concentric rows with their axes arranged in right and left handed intersecting circular arcs, and so that outwardly-extending curved avenues or channels are formed between them, a furnace located below the lower drum and com municating through a central passage-way therein with the central space formed by and between said tubes, an uptake extending from one side of said group of tubes, a casing having movable portions arranged around said group of tubes, and a baffling device arranged around and between some of the rows of tubes and formed with an exit'passage diametrically opposite said uptake.

Signed at Reading this 28th day of May, 1902.

WILLIAM RUSSELL CUMMINS. Witnesses:

FRANCIS ROBERT WooDALL, WILLIAM ERNEST SCRIVENER. 

